Making CARAMELISED RED ONION CHUTNEY. So easy! Fry 1.5kg diced red onions in 3 tablespoons of olive oil until the onion becomes clear, then add 150gm brown sugar and cook for about 10 minutes.
The onions will change colour. Lower the heat, add another 150gm brown sugar, 200ml of red wine vinegar, 3 crushed cloves of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika and 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds. Simmer on medium-low heat, for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To test for readiness, drag a wooden spoon across the bottom of the pot. If it’s ready, the juices will take a few seconds to meet again.
Allow to cool slightly then spoon into sterilised jars. Seal when cool and refrigerate for up to three months unopened. Three jars of delicious Caramelised Red Onion Chutney, especially good with cold meat and cheeses.
Making MANGO SORBET using the ice cream maker I was given at Christmas time. It is chilled in the freezer then attached to the mixer to beat the fruit and sugar syrup for 7-12 minutes depending on the volume of sorbet made. Result…. the most luscious, smooth, delicious sorbet.
This sorbet was easy to make, involves only pureed mango and sugar syrup and tasted very good.
Very focused on colour now and doing a painting every day with these water colour pencils my son gave me. It’s taken a few days to master them as they’re neither coloured pencils nor water colours and there’s so many variations in each colour.
Influenced by another blogger’s goal, I am doing a picture/painting every day. It is good to sit and draw and paint and really focus on the subject and the colours to use. These quick and simple works will keep me drawing and painting until I return to my water colour course in February.
More colours, this time gel pens. Lots of fun, especially writing Christmas cards.
The Children’s House, a beautifully written story by Alice Nelson, is about families and love and the damage caused by neglect. I nearly abandoned this book at the first chapter as I’ve read enough about the Rwanda Genocide, but I am glad I persisted. It was necessary background to this beautifully told story. Nelson writes with such empathy and charm, and shows the kindness of people in unexpected places.
This is a lyrical and heart warming story about families and what makes them warm and loving but also highlights the damage done by institutionalised childcare, dysfunctional mothers and absent fathers.
Thought provoking with wonderfully drawn characters.
Our family like to celebrate birthdays with yum cha brunch. Lots of steamed seafood dumplings and fritters and I had turnip cake, too. Above left, sui- mai, one of my favourites.
Continuing on the colour theme, a bloom in the garden. So pretty, such vibrant colours.
Today is Winnie The Pooh Day, celebrating the author’s birthday. A.A. Milne’s famous bear is everyone’s favourite. Seems a good reason to go on a teddy bears’ picnic. Start by packing the honey……